


The Downtime

by septnanis



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Universe, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, M/M, Post-Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, Romance, Sexual Content, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-10-05 13:42:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17326085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/septnanis/pseuds/septnanis
Summary: Ten times Sora and Riku take the time to relax.Canon-compliant until KHIII comes out.





	1. The Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku keeps Sora company through dreams.

The first thing Sora heard were birds.

 

Not the gull cries like back home, or the colorful tropical birds that sat in between the thick green leaves on the play island. These were little whistles, drops of sound that made his ears twitch as he awoke.

 

The sound was followed by the movement of light on his closed eyelids. He lay on a soft bed. If he didn’t feel the sun on his face and the smell of the outdoors in his nose he’d have sworn he was in his pajamas in bed, bare feet running up and down the smooth surface of the bed he lay on.

 

“I’m dreaming…” Sora mumbled, his eyes shut. He hadn’t dreamed like this in weeks.

 

He did not expect a reply. “Must be a good dream, then.”

 

Sora’s eyes opened slowly. Sitting with one long leg folded under the other was Riku, that slight smile he saved for Sora on his face. He was growing so casually and confidently into his handsomeness that it made Sora’s stomach squirm like crazy sometimes.

 

“Did you dive? Is there something wrong?” He’d gotten much better at figuring out if there was something happening to him, but sometimes Riku would dive just to make sure no one had managed to slip in through the cracks again.

 

It must’ve been alright, because Riku shushed him as he sat up on one knee to bend over Sora’s reclining body. The kiss he pressed to Sora’s lips was as warm and slow as the sunshine flickering on his face. When it broke, he murmured, “Everything’s fine. I haven’t seen you in weeks, I figured this would work…”

 

Up until recently Riku had to be within a relatively short distance to Sora in order to dive into his dreams, but lately he’d been practicing it from farther away. So far it worked well, but they found the farther apart they were, the shorter the connection was.

 

With Riku’s warm, strong body pressed to his it was almost too tempting for Sora to fall back asleep. Luckily, a voice in his head reminded him that it could very well be a while before they could see each other. Riku had been coming and going to the Realm of Darkness in search of Master Aqua. From there, he couldn’t dive into Sora’s dreams. Yen Sid had advised both Riku and the King not to stay in the Realm of Darkness too long at a time, in order to keep the negative effects of darkness at bay. So whenever Riku was back he would either come visit Sora or dive into his dreams.

 

“These are my favorite dreams,” Sora mumbled against his best friend’s mouth, his fingertips aimlessly tracing the smooth skin of his face. “It’s like you’re really here.”

 

“I _am_ really here,” Riku settled down further against Sora, his body relaxing as he found a way to lie without putting all of his weight on the smaller of the two. “Just because my body is somewhere else doesn’t mean this isn’t real.” Sora’s arms reached up to wrap around Riku’s neck, so instinctively Riku’s arms crept down to hold him. “You look like you,” He kissed the tip of his nose, “you sound like you,” He kissed the bow of his lips again. “you even smell just like you,” He leaned downed to nuzzle behind Sora’s ear, where his skin and his hair met. “So it must be you.”

 

Sora laughed, in that bright happy way he did, his arms tightening around Riku’s neck, his fingers curling into his shirt, the warmth of Riku’s back seeping into his fingertips. “Smell like me?! How do I smell?”

 

“Like home,” Riku kissed him again. “Like that coconut oil your mom gave you the last time we visited.” And again. “Like the ocean, like that really sweet papaya juice that gives you the hiccups because you drink it too fast.”

 

Riku’s face was so warm, one side of it pressed to Sora’s, his lips rest just barely on his jawline. The birds and the light and the warm weight of Riku’s body covering his own made Sora feel like he could lie there forever, falling in and out of sleep without a care. He tilted his face so their noses brushed, the corners of their lips close to one another. “You smell good, too.”

 

“I didn’t say you smelled good.”

 

The laughter that burst out of the both of them just made their bodies slot together better, as if their joy was like a magnet, pulling them both in the right direction. “You do,” Sora whispered. “I like it when we can spend the night together, your pillow always smells like you. Even if you’re already gone, I can just roll over and the bed smells like you and it’s like you’re still there with me.”

 

For just a second, the weight of Riku’s body became lighter.

 

“The connection’s breaking… “ Riku murmured. Sora’s fingers curled tighter into his shirt as if it would keep the other with him. He knew he’d wake up in the Tower and stare at the ceiling, missing Riku wherever he was. “I’ll see you soon, I promise.” Sora still pouted. “I _promise_. Do I break my promises to you?”

 

Sora smiled up at him, the nagging feeling of wakening pulling at him from every direction. The birds were just as musical and the sun was just as warm. He knew Riku would show up in a few days and put his arms around him, tell him ‘ _I told you I’d come, didn’t I?_ ’ and kiss Sora until he was breathless. Ever since they had been reunited in the World that Never Was, Riku had been so deeply devoted to him it sometimes still made Sora feel humble and a little shy.

 

With one last gust of breath, Sora cupped Riku’s face in his hands and his aquamarine eyes were the last thing he saw before he said,

 

“ _Never_.”

 

and woke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The Hangover.
> 
> I'm not ready for January 29th and this is how I'm coping.


	2. The Hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kairi comes bearing gifts - luckily, it's not more wine.

Kairi was fully aware that of the three of them, she was undoubtedly the more reasonable one. Sora had a reckless streak a mile long and wide and Riku was burdened by self-sacrifice that bordered on ridiculous. While Kairi had her moments of jumping head first into situations and wanting desperately to protect the people she cared about, she did take that moment before the plunge to consider ‘should I really be doing this?’.

 

Apparently this was also the case when it came to getting drunk at a party.

 

The King and Queen had hosted a party at Castle Disney, and so many people had attended Kairi thought she’d need the whole night just to shake everybody’s hand. Good thing it wasn’t expected of her. When Kairi had asked why the party, especially when Xehanort and his darknesses were looming over all their heads, Queen Minnie had given her that queenly smile, equal parts serene and motherly and told her of some anniversary or other of the kingdom.

 

Kairi loved parties. She liked the music and the chatter and how people did their best to look their best. She liked making new friends and eating nice food. There was nothing about a party that Kairi didn’t like, especially with all her friends around her. Even Aqua had managed to make an appearance, standing beside a wide eyed Ventus looking tired but happy.

 

But Kairi’s new favorite thing about parties was definitely Riku. And not just any Riku, but a Riku who thought berry wine was really good. _Really_ good. And Riku, while not an unfriendly person necessarily, did usually have a fairly stoic disposition. Last night, all his inhibitions dropped and he was _hilarious_.

 

With an extra bounce in her step she made her way to Riku’s bedroom, knowing full well that not only would Riku be there, Sora most likely would too.

 

That little reasonable voice in her head was the same voice that told Kairi it really would be mean to come crashing into the room because no doubt, the reason it was so quiet in Riku’s room was because he and Sora were both sleeping off a hangover.

 

“Gooood morning,” Kairi said in the softest voice she could without whispering as she pushed open their door. “Rise and shine!” She’d laugh at their misery, because boy did they look miserable.

 

Riku was on his stomach, one arm hanging over the edge of the bed and his fingertips brushing the floor, his head half shoved under a pillow. Half draped over his back was another keyblade master, eyes screwed tight and face slightly ashy. Aquamarine eyes opened underneath the pillow as Kairi crossed the room towards the bed.

 

“Have mercy, Kai. I’ll never drink again, I swear.” It was lucky that Riku’s voice was discernibly deeper than Sora’s, because either one of them could have made that plea with her. Kairi’s mercy however, did have limits. With a flair she threw open their curtains and both boys groaned, burrowing deeper underneath their pillows and blankets.

 

“Fear not, my friends,” Kairi said. “For I bring you magical potions made by the hand of our master Yen Sid himself.” She kneeled down by the bed in front of them. She held out two bottles, purple glass with a milky substance inside. “He says you have to teach me Blizzaga, though.”

 

Riku shifted underneath the covers, ignoring Sora’s pained groans when the other was forced to slide off Riku’s back as he sat up. “Master Yen Sid said we can only have a hangover potion if we teach _you_ Blizzaga. Because this is beneficial to him, how?”

 

“Now now, let’s try and remember who has the upper hand here.” With a giggle she held out the bottle which Riku attempted and failed to take from her.

 

“Fine. I’ll teach you Blizzaga, I’ll teach you whatever you like, just hand that over before I make a mess of your shoes.” Suddenly Kairi took pity on her friends, and she let him have the potion. “Sora…” Sora groaned again from under the mound of blankets. “Wake up, sunshine, I’ve got something for you.”

 

The blankets mumbled, “It’s still really weird to say that in front of Kairi.”

 

The day just seemed to be getting better when a bright red splash of color covered Riku’s face. “As much as I love watching Sora embarrass you by being himself, I really do have things to do. Drink up,” Riku did just so, reaching one arm underneath the blankets to force Sora up and at ‘em. “And for the record, you were hilarious. I even caught Master Yen Sid smirking at you.”

 

“Please don’t. Please,” Riku held a hand up, his silver hair wild but a healthier color rushing back to his face as the potion did its speedy work. “Never again. Mickey must be so ashamed of me.”

 

“Mostly you just sat on that bench, drinking and holding a running diatribe about what you really thought of everyone in the room. The King probably got up to all sorts himself when he was younger.” Kairi set the little bottle for Sora on the bedside table and leaned over to press a kiss to Riku’s forehead. He leaned into her and gave a little happy mumbled thank you as she pulled away. “Good luck with your other half.”

 

Riku made himself more comfortable against the headboard as he watched her go, wondering how on earth he was going to explain to Merlin that he’d just promised to skip weeks of his training with Kairi because she kept him from throwing up on her shoes. While he pondered how to solve that problem, he put one arm underneath the covers.

 

“The potion works well, Sora, come out from under there or I’ll start playing dirty like Kairi did.” As the worst of the hangover faded with the effects of the potion, more and more from the night before began trickling back into Riku’s memory. He remembered knocking back several glasses of wine before ending up on a cushioned bench. There was only so much small talk he could really handle. By the end of the evening Sora had ended up next to him, under his arm, laughing and giggly and just as deeply into his cups as Riku was.

 

A spiky haired head, made even spikier from all the rolling around in bed, peeked out from under the covers. “Gimme it.” He said, pout in full effect. “Please.”

 

“You’re a picture that speaks a thousand words right now, you know.” Riku leaned over to get the other little bottle for Sora as the shorter of the two curled himself into Riku’s side and under the crook of his arm. The potion was gone before Riku had managed to pull his hand back. He took the bottle from Sora and set it on the bedside table. “We’re gonna have to teach Kairi Blizzaga.”

 

Sora groaned. Kairi was ruthless when it came to them teaching her things. No rest was to be had until she got it down as good as they did. Usually Sora loved that about her, but at that moment he wanted to burrow himself under Riku and never see the light of day again. The potion was beginning to work and he relaxed against Riku’s side. “We’re never drinking again.”

 

“Of course,” Riku said, curling his fingers into Sora’s side and hitching him a little closer. “Just like we’re never taking the Gummi ship without Donald’s permission again. Just like Lea’s never going to use fire inside the Tower again. Just like…” Sora gave him a half hearted thump on his stomach before wrapping the arm tighter around him.

 

“Alright, alright, I get it…” He lifted his face up towards Riku, clearly expecting to have a kiss bestowed upon him. It was a good thing Riku liked bestowing kisses on Sora. Their lips met firmly, but any deeper and Riku could already feel his head getting woozy again. “Guess we’re teaching Kairi Blizzaga.”

 

Riku laughed. “We’re lucky we have her. Even if you share way too many details about what we get up to when we’re alone.” Sora’s answering giggle sounded almost diabolical as he slipped further under the covers, still attached firmly to Riku’s side. Not that what they had gotten up to was terribly exciting, but there was something about the effortless and almost shameless way that Sora talked about it that made Riku blush.

 

Sora lifted the covers and gave him a sunny smile, his blue eyes still tired but the ashy wash on his face from before was gone. “Why don’t you come in here and I’ll really have something to tell her.”

 

Riku really should know better but it was hard to say no to a face like that. He slid down until they were both lying flat and pulled the covers over the both of them, blocking out the rest of the world around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The Day Off.
> 
> I do appreciate that it seems like Kairi is finally getting a proper personality, hopefully they do her justice.


	3. The Day Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku is told to take a day off - Sora helps.

 

“I thought Lea was kidding when he said you were here.”

 

Sora found Riku in the middle of one of the larger training rooms in the Mysterious Tower. They’d used it many times to spar, but sometimes Riku liked to go there alone. Whenever Sora did find him, he would usually be meditating or stretching. But today he’d taken a day off after he fell asleep during a mission briefing with Master Yen Sid.

 

He was on his back, one leg bent over the other, the muscles in his thighs and calves more defined than usual from the tension. “Nope,” Riku grunted. “Couldn’t sleep anymore and my muscles are sore. Decided to stretch them out.”

 

“Master Yen Sid said you should be resting.” It had unsettled Sora just a bit, Riku always seemed so infallible to him. But after he’d nodded off Sora suddenly noticed the pronounced dark circles under his eyes and the shakiness of his hands. “You’re working too hard, you know.” He wanted to help Riku, not just by going to other worlds and defeating Heartless and trying to figure out how to defeat Xehanort. He wanted the other to feel he could lean on Sora, put his guard down. Whenever he did, it seemed like it was because he couldn’t help himself.

 

“I know.” Riku said, switching legs to other side. The movement of Riku’s hips, especially in the work out clothes he was wearing made heat crawl up Sora’s neck. “But I was feeling restless. And you’re leaving soon, right?”

 

Sora shook his head and began to cross the room. “Told Master Yen Sid I was gonna spend the day with you.” He grinned at Riku’s raised eyebrow from the position he was in. “What? He does agree with me sometimes.”

 

“Sure, he does,” Riku pulled his leg back and then pulled both his knees to his chest. Despite how small he was making himself, the same feeling Sora felt before at seeing Riku change position bubbled up again when he realised how long Riku’s legs were, how broad his shoulders were getting. “He’ll never admit that, though.”

 

To cut the tension building in his own stomach, that small tell tale sign of arousal that jumped up at him so many times a day, Sora hovered over Riku and reached down for his hands to take. Riku took them with a smile. “We used to do this when we were kids, remember? I wanted to learn how to fly and you’d hold me up on your feet. It felt so real!” Riku’s smile broadened and he lowered his knees until the bottom of his feet were facing the ceiling.

 

As if Sora could resist that temptation. Chuckling, he toed his shoes off and leaned over until Riku’s bare feet rested against his stomach, their hands still joined. Riku shifted a bit, trying to figure out how best to keep Sora’s weight centered enough that he wouldn’t tip right off his feet. “You ready? Put your weight on my feet and I’ll hold your upper body, wait…!” And up went Sora’s feet, because Sora clearly had no need for proper instructions.

 

Their bodies swerved, trying to find balance. After a few moments, both of them laughing and grunting with exertion, but refusing to give up they seemed to find a balance, Riku’s legs straight up and Sora’s legs straight back. “Got it!” Riku laughed and Sora laughed back at him, loud and reverberating throughout the room.

 

“I’m flying, Riku!”

 

It may have been the ecstatic happiness on Sora’s face, or the giddiness brought on by deep exhaustion but Riku looked up at his best friend and said, “On the count of three, let go of my hands.”

 

Sora looked down at him sharply. “What?! I’ll fall!”

 

“No, you won’t. Just hold your balance in your stomach, you won’t fall.”

 

Sora was nothing if not determined and Riku knew that look on his face. For a second the grip on his hands got a little tighter, before it started to loosen. From where he was lying, Riku watched nearly in awe as Sora’s determination took form in the slow detachment of his fingers from Riku’s, his hands coming up slow and steady until the only place they were touching was where Sora’s stomach was pressed firmly against the bottom of Riku’s feet.

 

For a few beautiful seconds, Riku lay on the floor and resisted the urge to reach up and touch his face until he felt Sora’s balance begin to waver and the shorter of the two suddenly came crashing down with a shout and loud laughter. Riku’s reflexes kicked in automatically and he managed to break half of Sora’s fall.

 

“I’m fine!” Sora said from beside him on the floor, looking a little breathless but still so bright eyed. “That was really fun! Next time I’m gonna hold on longer.”

Suddenly Sora realised how long it had been since they had spent time together just talking and laughing and being silly. “Do I need to help you anymore with stretching?” He lifted his hands to brush some of Riku’s bangs out of his eyes. Riku smiled that smile at him. _My smile_ , Sora thought, _he only smiles like that at me._

 

Riku leaned over and gave him a barely there kiss. “Nope. I enjoyed that.” He nuzzled into the hand Sora had on his face. The warmth in Riku’s eyes grew hotter. “I should have a day off more often.” The next kiss was anything but barely there. It was hot and wet and Riku folded himself over Sora quicker than he could react, his arms shooting up and around Riku’s shoulders. He was heavy and warm and the way he knew exactly how to touch Sora to make him feel like he could burst into flames at any minute drove him absolutely crazy.

 

“S-someone’s gonna see, Riku…” Sora ground out, his fingers tangling up into Riku’s hair as the other did unbelievable things with his mouth to that soft spot behind Sora’s ear.

 

“Fuck ‘em.” The swearing was so in character in that suddenly Riku was no longer a Keyblade master in that moment, or a warrior or a hero but Sora’s best friend and boyfriend with a razor sharp wit and a general disregard for whatever people thought of him.

 

Before Sora lost most coherent thought he did think how vastly underrated days off were and he needed to schedule another one as soon as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The Fight.
> 
> Three weeks to go. I'm not ready but I'm also 10+ years ready.


	4. The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku needs to work on his communication skills.

“You couldn’t at least tell me where you were going?”

 

Riku knew Sora wouldn’t be happy when he got off the Gummi Ship, but the anger radiating off of him when the door opened was tangible. Usually Sora would greet him with joy and enthusiastic hugs but today he stood on the steps of the Mysterious Tower, arms straight down his sides, fingers curled into his palms.

 

He hadn’t said a word as he walked up the stairs to their bedroom, Riku felt compelled to follow him. Once they were both inside Riku shut the door and turned toward his best friend. “Sora, it was a last minute…”

 

“Don’t.” Sora faced the window, hands still fists and shoulders still high and tense. “Don’t tell me it was necessary, or an order, or because there wasn’t any time to explain. There were a dozen ways you could have told me, but you chose not to.” The even tone of his voice unsettled Riku. Sora had a temper, but didn’t actually get angry at people quickly, not like this. “ _You_ chose not to!”

 

“I’m sorry I’ve upset you, next time I’ll let you know.” And he meant it. The guilt that had settled into his stomach once Sora had sent his first frantic message wondering where he was because Yen Sid said he and Mickey had gone on a mission but wouldn’t say where to only grew the closer they got to home. By the time the ship was landing he felt ill from it. “Sometimes…”

 

The tension in Sora’s shoulders started to quiver. “You can’t do this to me again. You just can’t.” After a lifetime of having a prone to crying best friend, Riku knew what those shaky shoulders meant and he took an automatic two steps towards him. “I was up all night and I kept thinking worse and worse things that could happen to you, because I didn’t know where you were and please don’t do that to me a-again…” His words tapered off into sharp inhales of breath that didn’t seem to be filling his lungs properly. Which meant Sora wasn’t crying, he was having a panic attack.

 

“Hey, hey, hey,” Riku mumbled as he crossed the room and took a firm grasp of Sora’s upper arms and turned him towards him. “Look at me. _Look_ at me, Sora.” Blue eyes swimming with tears opened and met his, though they were dazed. “Breathe, in and out…” He repeated the words over and over, until Sora’s breathing evened out.

 

A sob burst out of Sora’s throat suddenly and he pitched himself against Riku’s chest, fingers curling into his sides. Riku wrapped both arms all the way around him, like he was trying to hide Sora away from the rest of the world. The sound of Sora was heart breaking and Riku tried to swallow down the lump in his throat. After a moment the sobbing quieted down to crying, so Riku slowly guided them towards the window seat. Once he sat down Sora immediately curled up in his lap.

 

“I’m still mad at you,” Sora hiccuped. “You can’t say you trust me, and then keep secrets from me.” He was right and the awful feeling of guilt in Riku’s stomach churned. “I-I know you don’t do it to be cruel,” Riku reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind Sora’s ear. “But it hurts so bad when you do this. The last time you disappeared…” He remembered Sora on his knees, clutching Riku’s hands even though he looked like the awful man that had brought so much pain and destruction into his life. Sora’s heart had known Riku’s, despite all that. “You can’t do that me, not again.”

 

“I know.” Riku said. “And I’ll do better. I will.”

 

Sora’s nod, buried in the crook of Riku’s neck was barely there, but it was. Riku kissed his forehead for a long while before resting his cheek on Sora’s hair, the texture and the scent comforting. Despite everything that had just happened, having the other close to him made him really feel like he was home again. Nothing and no one else could do that like Sora could.

 

They sat together on the window seat as Sora’s body started to relax against Riku’s. “I _missed_ you.” Sora whispered.

 

“Me too.” Riku replied, opening his eyes and meeting Sora’s watery bright blues. “I always miss you when I’m gone. But you know.” Sora scooted around a bit on Riku’s lap, trying to get into a more comfortable position. “It’s nice too. Because I have to leave sometimes, if I know you’re what I come back to, it’s okay. It doesn’t matter how dark or hard it gets, I just think about you or I look up a picture of your face and I always feel better.”

 

Sora scoffed, but Riku saw the little smile and slight flush on his cheeks. “Sappy.” Sora rebuffed him and tightened his arms around Riku. “Can we just sit here for a bit? I’m such a mess.” Riku nodded.

 

He knew Sora’s frustration had been building for a while and he’d probably feel silly about reacting so explosively in a few hours, but for now Riku let him be. Sora had never been the type to bleed on anyone, so if he could do it with Riku just for a little while, he’d never say no.

 

They’d talk more about it later, because trust was just as important to them as friendship and love. The glass of the window was cool against his neck and Sora’s fingertips were warm and soft as they took Riku’s hand in his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The Bath
> 
> Felt incredibly uninspired and couldn't fill my own prompt.   
> I do love writing short fics like this, so if you'd like to see something, let me know.
> 
> I'm on Twitter! Look me up @laughertea.


	5. The Bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora convinces Riku to take a bath.
> 
> This chapter kicked the rating up a notch.

Riku had never been a bath person. Although he prided himself on having discipline and concentration he found himself getting so bored so quickly in a bath. For him, it was just sitting in a very confined space, in warm water, staring at the wall or out a window.

 

Sora however, was most definitely a bath person. In fact, as far as Sora was concerned baths were one of life’s finest pleasures. Sora was also especially adept at making bathtime an event. When they were little he’d bring his toy boats and the bath crayons to scribble on the tile walls, nowadays he would bring books or a radio to listen to music. Baths were filled with oils and bubbles and milky foam, all smelling equally sweet or fruity or sugary. The more colorful his bathwater, the better and the temperature was always just right.

 

So it was no surprise to Riku at all that Sora had immediately stuck his head into the bathroom in the little hotel they were staying in Twilight Town and gasped out, “They have a bathtub, Riku!”

Sora had always had a hard time figuring out why Riku didn’t like baths, even though he loved hot showers and swimming in the ocean.

 

“Because I’m doing something, that’s why,” He explained when asked. “I’m not just sitting around, waiting for the water I’m sitting in to get cold.”

 

That was the day Sora had decided to make Riku love baths just as much as Sora did. And now that they saw each other in various states of undress, it would be much easier to lure Riku into a bathtub with him.

 

After a long day of following leads in Twilight Town that proved dead end after dead end, they trudged back to the square and Riku had proposed getting a hotel room for the night. Being in the tower was fine, but sometimes it still felt like he was living with his parents, watching the door or keeping one ear open in case someone tried to walk into his room while Sora had put himself in Riku’s lap and had decided to do something interesting to Riku’s neck with his mouth.

 

The hotel was small but homey and a little fancy. The floors were thick carpet that their shoes sunk into a little, the walls were a pretty color that neither of them knew the name of, the bed in their room was huge with fluffy white bedding on top and the bathtub was practically as big as the Gummi ship they flew there in.

 

Sora was _delighted_.

 

“You can take one if you want,” Riku said, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Sora pulled his shoes off. “Think I’ll read those reports Master Yen Sid gave me, I put them in my bag.”

 

Sora’s reply was instantaneous. “I’ve got a better idea… you could join me!” His smile was so bright it made Riku’s stomach flip. But baths just really weren’t his things. “Come on, Riku! You, me, some bubbles and not a whole lot else?” The smile turned into a smirk in record time and his eyebrows wiggled up and down suggestively.

 

“You’re a goof.” A goof whose moves worked every time on Riku and he was almost not ashamedenough to admit it. Almost. “You know I hate baths.”

 

“Yeah, but… I love baths. And you love me.” Both two indisputable truths. Sora walked up to him and stood between his knees, fingers combing into his hair. “You and your silly, efficiently timed showers.” Sora’s thumb ran over Riku’s bottom lip in a way that suggested Riku should realise Sora was about to get his way. “I take short showers with you. How come you can’t take a long bath with me?” Those blue eyes were going to get him killed one day.

 

Riku sighed, adding just a tinge of extra drama. “Ugh, fine. You fill it up. Make it nice and hot. But not too hot!” Sora gave a loud noise that implied he won and smacked a kiss firmly on Riku’s lips. “I don’t want to be sweating while I’m trying to get clean.” Sora immediately ran off to the bathroom, and the sound of rushing water followed.

 

“It’ll be the best bath you’ve ever had!” It’d be the first bath he’d had in years, to be honest.

 

As Sora was busy in the bathroom Riku sat down a little more comfortably on the bed, thumbing through one of the riveting reports Yen Sid had given to him. He wanted to double check if they had gone through all the leads and that they hadn’t missed something. The sound of Sora humming a tune while he worked on preparing the best bath Riku would ever have made him smile. If he put the report away he could almost pretend they were a regular young couple, having a weekend get away like the kind that tourists would have back home.

 

After nearly fifteen minutes Sora’s voice rang out from the bathroom, “Riku! It’s ready!” A little voice in his head kept whispering how he could’ve been showered and under the covers already but he waved it away. Sora’s voice was so enthused it was difficult to be really put out about the fact that he would have to sit in warm water for at least half an hour, if not longer.

 

“Okay!” He called back, putting the report on the night stand. “You get in, I’ll be there in a second.” He unlaced his boots and tucked them up against the wall before making his way to the bathroom.

 

Once there, it was hard to really hate baths when he saw a blissed out looking Sora sitting in a huge tub full of steamy, milky, sweet smelling water. His bronze shoulders peeked out above the white porcelain edge of the tub and his cheeks were already flushed from the heat of the water when he turned his head to smile at Riku.

 

“Pants off,” Sora said, grinning. “Before the water gets cold.” Considering how heavily the water was steaming there was no chance of it cooling off any time soon, but Riku kept that to himself and stripped his jacket and shirt off. Once he reached the belt buckle in his pants he made eye contact with Sora, who was slouched down in the tub so far his head lay on the rim. His eyes were half-mast, clearly already heavily under the influence of hot, nice smelling water.

 

The scrutiny made him slightly nervous, even if he had done this countless times before. However lately, they had started taking their clothes off in each others presence for something other than hygiene or changing. Now Sora had not only seen Riku naked, but he’d also touched Riku while he was naked. Run his fingers over the straight line of his waist and over hips, pressed his bare chest to Riku’s when he kissed him, giggled at a patch of tiny moles he’d found on his thigh when they had managed to move onto activities below the waist. Knowing Sora may be thinking of those kind of things while he watched him take off his clothes invoked a shyness in Riku he normally didn’t have.

 

“What are you staring at?” He flipped the buckle of his pants open and began to slide them down his hips.

 

Sora hummed and smiled a little wider. “My handsome best friend is getting naked in front of me, I’m enjoying myself.” Riku scoffed and kicked his pants off with his feet.

 

“Sit up and move forward so I can sit behind you.” The back of the tub curved upwards, so that anyone sitting in it could lean back and relax without their neck going stiff. Sora obediently complied, the sound of the water sloshing about in the tub the only sound in the room. Riku put one foot in the water first, testing the temperature and finding it just right. He pulled the other leg in and crouched down until he could sit down and slide his legs astride Sora’s hips and legs. Within moments Sora leaned back with his back to Riku’s chest, gingerly moving his hips so they fit snugly between Riku’s thighs.

 

For a moment the water felt much hotter — the way there were sat felt so intimate. Still, through the headiness of how close they were it felt right and Riku nuzzled into Sora’s damp hair when the other tucked his head under Riku’s chin, eyes closed and breathing slow.

 

“See?” Sora pointed out. “This is so nice. You and me equals the perfect bath.” The heat from the water and the added warmth from Sora’s body against his own did make Riku feel more relaxed than he’d felt in longer than he could remember. The barest hint of arousal kindled low in his stomach but the lethargy already seeping into his bones kept it from flaring up too quickly.

 

He felt Sora’s lips move against the skin of his chest before he heard sound come out, but when he did, a light barely there mumbling, it confused him. “Hmm?” Riku prompted. Sora mumbled again, slightly more clear but still indecipherable.

 

Mostly because, it seemed like he was speaking another language.

 

“Sora? What did you just say?” Sora’s head lifted from its lazy spot on Riku’s chest and he craned his neck to make sleepyeye contact.

“Huh? What do you mean? Was I talking?” Riku held the eye contact with an intensity that nearly pulled him completely out of his relaxed state. When Sora’s brow furrowed at the intensity of Riku’s stare, he reigned it in and smiled. He pressed a kiss to his forehead and said,

 

“Just some sleepy mumbling, I guess.” Sora smiled back at him and twisted around in the bathtub so the fronts of their bodies were pressed together. The arousal that had been simmering on its lowest point started to flicker awake. Sora leaned up until their lips nearly touched.

 

“Can I kiss you?”

 

Riku laughed. “You don’t have to ask.”

 

“But I want to,” Sora replied, their lips just a hair's breadth apart. “I like hearing you say you want me. It makes kissing even better.”

 

Riku’s eyes already began to shut. “I want you to kiss me, Sora,” Before Sora could close that minuscule space, he said, “I always want you to kiss me.”

 

So Sora did, hot and wet like their surroundings. It was passionate but there was the ever underlying gentility that Sora did everything with. The slide of their lips became the slide of lips and tongue and the water splashed around as they shifted to get in a better position. One of Riku’s hands cupped Sora’s face, the other wrapped around his waist, hand resting on his lower back under the water.

 

There was no denying what would happen now, considering both of them were hard and raring to go. His skin felt like it was singing, so many sensations, the water and the heat and Sora’s skin against his own.

 

“Ah, Riku…” Sora moaned, placing both hands on either side of the tub to give himself leverage to move. Luckily he hadn’t filled the bath too high, and only a little splashed out of the tub and onto the floor as he searched from the perfect position to move together. A groan escaped Riku and a high gasp escaped Sora when he did and Riku slid his hand down to cup his ass and put more strength into the slow roll of their hips.

 

It wasn’t as intense as when they put their hands on each other, the urgency would rise quicker and become frantic. Now it was slow and hot and it felt like they could lie there in the water for hours, rutting slow against each other. Sora leaned down for another kiss, his little moan when RIku curled his tongue in just the right way around Sora’s making Riku feel so good he almost felt anxious. Like his skin wasn’t big enough to keep in everything he was feeling.

 

“Sora,” He panted against the other’s mouth, kisses sloppy and more irregular as their pace quickened. “Sora, sweetheart… feels so good,” The hand curled in Sora’s hand slid down his body to join the other one, putting even more effort into getting where they both wanted to be. “You feel so good.”

 

A concentrated look filled Sora’s face, both hands still gripped tightly on the edge of the tub, more water splashing over the edge. Riku tilted his head back and watched, breathlessly as Sora did his utmost to make them both come. Not even a minute later Sora’s body went taut as bowstring, a stumble of “Oh, Riku, I-I’m gonna…” and his body spasmed a few times. It was just enough to make Riku’s eyes screw shut and feel his own orgasm shoot straight through him.

 

Sora’s body melted into Riku’s, his head dropped down into the curve of his shoulder. They both lay panting, coming down slowly from the high they were just on. Without opening his eyes Riku smiled when he felt Sora press soft kisses to his ear and his neck. Both arms wrapped around his back and pulled him even tighter to him. “Guess we ruined the water. What a shame.”

 

“The water’s still warm, we don’t have to get out yet.” Sora said, probably more out of laziness than an actual will to stay sitting in bathwater they’d just had sex in.

 

“We,” Riku said, deciding his breathing had evened out enough to sit up and take Sora with him. “Are getting out of this tub. We are going to have a, as you called it, silly, efficiently timed shower and then we are going to get in that huge bed and get some rest.” It sounded rather perfect if he did say so himself.

 

Sora gave one last complaining huff before letting himself get pushed up. They both carefully stepped out of the tub, minding the slippery floor from the bath water that had gone over the edge of the tub. Sora busied himself with emptying the tub, while Riku pulled a few large towels out of the closet opposite the shower. He laid them on the edge of the sink and turned to flip the shower on, water going hot quick enough, the water pressure just hard enough.

 

A moment after Riku stepped under the spray, two arms wrapped around him from behind. “Thank you for indulging me.” Sora did look so genuinely pleased it made Riku’s mouth work before his brain could intervene.

 

“We’ll give it another try, maybe not get too hot and heavy when we haven’t been in there long next time.” Riku said, turning in Sora’s arms and reciprocating the embrace. Sora beamed and kissed him happily. “Come on, clean up and into bed. I’m exhausted.”

 

On cue, Sora yawned with his mouth wide open and joined Riku in a perfunctory wash down with the soap in the shower. After they were rinsed off, Riku used his longer reach to grab the towels from the edge of the sink, first wrapping one around his own waist and then wrapping the other around Sora. He folded him into it like a blanket, his spiky albeit slightly more droopy from the water hair and blue eyes peeking out.

 

“Bed.” Riku said, directing him towards the lovely huge bed. Sora only stopped to pull a clean shirt and a pair of shorts from his bag. He rubbed the towel through his hair a few times, the spiky texture going every which way. Riku picked a shirt of his own and a pair of loose pants from his own bag, before crossing the room to the window to shut the curtains. Because of the nature of the city, it was never night but when the curtains were shut, it was dark enough to sleep.

 

By the time Riku got to the bed Sora was already burrowed deep into the covers. “Room for one more?” The edge of the covers lifted and Riku wiggled his way inside, into the warm circle of Sora’s arms. “Wait…” He said, sitting up to grab the reports from his nightstand and a pen that lay there.

 

“Whatcha doing?” Sora asked sleepily.

 

“Just though of something in the bath, I want to write it down before I forget.” He pressed a firm kiss to Sora’s forehead. “Go to sleep, I’ll be right behind you.”

 

“Mmkay, goodnight Ri…” The rest of his name came out of Sora’s mouth in a sleepy mumble and he was asleep quicker than Riku could count. He reached over and clicked a light on so he could see where he was writing.

 

He would ask Master Yen Sid when they got back, but he was sure it was nothing, those sleepy, mysterious words that had slipped out of Sora when he was halfway there with him and halfway somewhere else entirely. He probably picked the words up on a world he’d visited. Or he’d read them in a book in the tower.

 

_Proelium._

 

_Clavis._

 

_Lux._

 

It was probably nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The New Year
> 
>  
> 
> Without spoiling anyone, I've seen the end, I didn't like it at all.   
> And disliking something I've been looking forward to makes me angry creative. 
> 
> Hence the minor add of plot, which I am seriously thinking of elaborating on. 
> 
> I'm on Twitter! Find me @laughertea


	6. The New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku and Sora celebrate the New Year at home. 
> 
>  
> 
> Beware spoilers for KH3 in the end notes.

Not spending the turn of the year at home may very well have been the thing that bothered both Riku and Sora the most. Everyone who had lived on the Destiny Islands knew it was bad luck to see in the new year away from home. All other holidays and festivals — while both of them missed spending those at home — paled in comparison to the importance of New Year’s.

 

When they requested that they both get a day off to go home and celebrate it, Master Yen Sid had surprised them both and most decidedly said no.

 

Sora would never forget the feeling he had when he watched Riku straighten to his full height and say, “I’m sorry Master, but I must’ve said it wrong. Sora and I are going home to see the New Year begin.” The day Riku fully realised he was a Master now too, just like Yen Sid and the King was going to be the day Sora melted into a puddle on the floor.

 

Yen Sid gave them his most put out stare, sighed and told them to be back the next day.

 

Sora turned to him once more before they left and said, “What about Kai…” But before he could finish the sentence, Yen Sid gave him a patented ‘don’t push your luck’ look and he let himself be pulled from the room by Riku.

 

“This’ll be our first New Year’s kiss!” Sora exclaimed happily next to Riku, once they were in the Gummi Ship. Riku gave him a withering glance. “What? It will! You can pretend you’re not a big romantic sap all you want, but don’t think I haven’t noticed you calling me sweetheart.”

 

Riku’s hands gripped the steering wheel of the Gummi Ship a little tighter. Sweetheart was a common denominator back home. When two people were together they called one another sweetheart. Everyone on the islands knew that. What people also knew is that it usually only happened between two adults, married couples or couples planning on getting married eventually.

 

Because Riku was who he was, he almost started to doubt he should be calling Sora by the endearment. It just felt right. He’d grown up watching his parents call each other that, and Sora’s parents and all the other grown ups on the island. If he and Sora had never left, and Riku had still pulled the courage from somewhere to tell Sora how he felt they’d nearly be the age the average islander settled down.

 

An image of the two of them together, living in a modest house by the sea, in their loose comfortable clothes invaded Riku’s mind. They could have modest jobs to go with their modest house, work down by the docks or in the touristy end of the island. Sora would hang wind chimes on their porch, Riku would be tall enough to hang a line high enough so they could hang their laundry from it. They would sit on their porch, their feet dangling above the ocean water as they ate dinner, the sun setting on the horizon. The bed they slept in would be _their_ bed and the side closest to the door would be Riku’s side. They’d wake up early in the morning to go to work and Riku would whisper _sweetheart_ against Sora’s golden, bed warmed skin when the smaller man slept straight through their alarm. Time would pass and they’d grow older until they were old together and life was nothing but…

 

“Riku!” Sora’s voice ripped him straight out of his daydream and he cried out, pulled the steering wheel sharply to the left to avoid driving the Gummi Ship straight into an asteroid. Once they were flying stable again and Riku’s heart rate had gone down he looked at Sora.

 

“Sorry, got lost in thought.”

 

“Got lost in thought?!” Sora leaned over a bit and put a hand on his arm. “You were a million miles away!” A look of understanding passed over Sora’s face. “I don’t mind you know, when you call me sweetheart. I am, aren’t I?”

Riku’s look was fond when their eyes met but he still felt a deep sense of relief. “You are. And a goof.” Because he just couldn’t help it. Sora may be his sweetheart, but he was also his best friend. And best friends needed to be kept on their toes.

 

“You just can’t help yourself, huh.”

 

—-

 

The sun was almost completely set by the time they arrived at the play island. They’d gone by Sora’s parents and Riku’s parents to say hello and wish them a happy New Year. Both sets of parents had been pleasantly surprised at their arrival and not so surprised to see their joined hands. “It was bound to happen eventually, I suppose.” Riku’s father said good-naturedly, holding his son’s shoulder in a firm grip, his smile warm like Riku’s was.

 

They were given juice and food and a small box of firecrackers by Sora’s mother, who kissed Riku’s cheek as excitedly as she’d kissed her son’s. She’d always treated him like he was just as much her own as Sora was, even though she hadn’t really known what to do with him when he was fifteen and angry all the time and even rude on occasion. Riku was glad he’d earned her good will back.

 

The play island was one of the things in Sora and Riku’s life that seemed so unchanging, no matter how much time had passed. The weather was warm but pleasant, the wind making the leaves of the trees rustle and the waves sound almost musical.

 

“You gonna tell me what had you so zoned out in the ship before?” Sora asked, around a mouthful of a sandwich his mother had given them. “Because you really were gone, but you looked kinda happy, too.” Riku joined him where he stood next to the Paopu tree.

 

“None of your business.” Riku replied, stealing half a tomato slice off Sora’s sandwich.

 

Sora’s eyes went wide. “Come on, Riku, tell me!” Sora hated it when Riku was secretive, even about the small things.

 

He wasn’t sure he had the courage to tell Sora what he’d been thinking. How he’d thought about a life together with him, even though they were still so young and their futures were so uncertain. He supposed the idea of being back on their home island, where nothing ever changed and nothing ever really happened, lured him into a sense of security that led him to thinking about a future that may never be possible. What’s more, what if Sora didn’t want that?

 

“Just thinking about us,” Riku said, without making eye contact. He didn’t dare. “What the future’s gonna bring us. It’s New Year’s, it makes me introspective.” Sora nodded in agreement, like Riku’s flimsy excuse was the perfect explanation.

 

Sora leaned back against the tree and Riku pulled himself up onto it to sit. They waited for midnight to come.

 

—-

 

Ten minutes to midnight and they had gone through most of the food and the drink — Sora’s mother had even put cider in there, which made Sora sing and crow and Riku laugh — when Sora suddenly stood stock still next to Riku.

 

“I don’t know why, but I’m kinda nervous.” He said and Riku’s hand itched to take Sora’s in his own, out of pure reflex. “When we’re here everything feels so safe and normal. But I know tomorrow could be different, dangerous or scary… and I think I’m afraid, but I don’t want to be.”

 

Riku sighed and took his hand anyway. “It’s alright if you’re afraid. I’m afraid.” Sora’s eyebrows shot up, as if he couldn’t believe it. “But you’re brave. And being brave doesn’t mean being unafraid. We’ll face whatever the New Year brings together.”

 

The dark night suddenly light up with bright colors and sparkling lights, and in the distance they could hear the bells in the town square ringing. It was midnight.

 

Sora’s smile was almost bright than the fireworks in the sky when he looked at Riku, their fingers still tangled together. He stepped closer to Riku and tilted his head up until their lips were nearly touching and said, “Happy New Year, _sweetheart_.”

 

Riku dove into the kiss like he’d learned to dive into Sora’s heart, confident and brave. His hands disconnected from Sora and he took his face between them so he could deepen the kiss as much as he could. He could feel Sora laughing between their lips and his hands slid up Riku’s back to hang in his embrace from his shoulders. It was electric and made both their knees feel weak but it also felt safe and normal.

 

When the kiss broke, the sky was still alight with all the colors of the rainbow.

 

“Hey!!”

 

A voice from the other end of the bridge made both their heads whip to the side, followed by running footsteps. Kairi ran straight towards them.

 

“You made it!” Riku said at the same time Sora whooped and cried, “No way!”

 

She joined them and took a minute to catch her breath. “Happy New Year!” Both Riku and Sora wrapped their arms around her simultaneously, laughter erupting from all three of them. Riku’s arms were long enough to wrap both Sora and Kairi in the circle of them, and Sora’s hands came to rest on Riku’s waist.

 

“I brought something with me, you guys!” Having their friend with them made everything so much better, but they both looked confused as she rummaged around in the bag in her hand once they had taken a step back from her. “I’ve been meaning to do this for ages, but when I convinced Merlin to let me go for the night I suddenly thought… New Year’s is the perfect time!”

 

The star shaped fruit in her hand was familiar and their looks of confusion turned to looks of surprise. “I know you two have this whole joined at the heart instead of the hip thing going on, but we never know what could happen… and I don’t want to lose you two, or get left behind because I can’t keep up.”

 

Sora looked like he wanted to tell her exactly what he’d already told her a dozen times, that she’d get better, that she’d probably be outrunning them in no time but Kairi put up a hand. “I know it’s a silly thing, but you two mean everything to me.” Riku’s smile was fond and he put a hand on her shoulder. She returned his fond look and pulled a knife out of her bag.

 

The Paopu fruit was a bit of an awkward shape to cut in threes, but Kairi managed it and dropped the knife in the sand so she could give both Sora and Riku a piece. They both held the piece of fruit in their hand aloft like champagne glasses and between the three of them the energy shifted and changed to something that felt new and powerful. Riku had never believed in the legend of the Paopu, not really, but standing beside the two people he cared for most of all he wanted to.

 

“To the future and wherever it takes us!” Kairi said, her pretty face made prettier by her bright smile.

 

“To friends and facing anything that comes our way!” Sora said, his blue eyes sparkling in the light of the fireworks still going off over their heads.

 

“And a very happy New Year.” Riku said, his tone more sedated but not any less heartfelt.

 

All three of them stuck the piece of fruit in their hand in their mouths and chewed slowly as though they expected something miraculous to happen. When nothing out of the ordinary happened they stood in silence, swallowing the last of the fruit down.

 

Sora broke the silence. “Egh, my fingers are all sticky!”

 

Riku laughed and grabbed his hand. “Your fingers were already sticky, from when you spilled cider on them.”

 

Kairi grabbed an arm each, one of Sora’s and one of Riku’s. “You guys have cider?!” She looked past them at their basket given so graciously to them by Sora’s mother. “You guys have _fireworks_!” She made a beeline to the basket. “My dad never let me set off fireworks, this is so cool!”

 

Nothing may have changed between them, their hearts had been connected so many years ago, by happiness and pain and victory and hardship. But Riku was sure, as the fireworks remained a constant symphony of sparkling colors in the sky and he looked at the two people he loved most of all run around laughing and yelling and setting off fireworks of their own there was nothing that could keep them apart anymore.

 

“Come on, Riku!” Sora called out, already running down to the surf, lit sparklers in both hands. Kairi was dancing in the surf, her feet bare and her own sparklers making her look otherworldly as her arms cartwheeled through the night.

 

Riku’s heart skipped a beat or two, and let his feet take him to where he was supposed to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The Wait 
> 
> I've always been hungry for ideas about the culture on Destiny Island's. Do they have certain customs or superstitions? So I put in a few of my own. Maybe one day I'll write a story dedicated to just that.
> 
> Technically this chapter was going to be about Riku and Sora lounging around on the island and having their first couple's New Years kiss, but then I remembered that the Paopu scene in KH3 still makes me cringe, so I wrote one of my own. I feel like of all the trio's, these three were let down the most story wise, and it made me a little sad. So I made them happy in my own head again.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! If you want to talk with me or watch me talk about Soriku and KH on Twitter, you can find me at @laughertea.


	7. The Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku and Sora have Gummi ship problems. They wait it out.
> 
>  
> 
> Mind the end-notes for KH3 spoilers.

After dropping Kairi off at Radiant Garden, Sora and Riku made their way back to the Mysterious Tower. The Gummi ship should get them there in an hour or so, especially with Riku driving the ship. Sora has insisted he could get them there faster, which prompted Riku to push his friend into the passenger’s seat so he could drive.

 

“I’d like to go back in one piece, and with you in one piece, please.” He said, ignoring Sora’s pout. “That doesn’t work on me.”

 

“Yes, it does!” Riku suppressed a smile at Sora’s outburst, also ignoring how big his blue eyes got.

 

A good ten minutes into their flight a sudden knocking sound filled the cabin of the ship and Sora looked around his seat to the back. “Did you hear that? Sounded like someone was knocking on the door!” Which was impossible, considering how fast they were flying. “I’ll go check it out.” He stood and made his way to the back of the ship. The knocking sound returned and it was louder that time. Sora pointed to a hatch in the side of the ship and called out to Riku, “It’s coming from here! Do you think Kairi stowed away in here?”

 

“Open the hatch up, see if you can find anything.” Riku replied, not taking his eyes off the direction he was flying. “Be careful!”

 

“Yeah, yeah…” Sora muttered and took the handle of the hatch in hand to give it a sharp tug. The minute he did the ship came to a slow stop and ominous smoke came out of the space behind the hatch. “Oh, boy, that can’t be good.” The ship stopped completely and Riku was up and out of his seat before Sora could call for him.

 

“What the hell… what happened?” Riku asked, kneeling down next to Sora, who threw his hands in the air.

 

“I don’t know! I opened it and this happened!” The smoke didn’t seem to continue to leave the space and after a few good waves of his hand and a very subtle cough, Riku could peer inside. Nothing seemed to be burning, but there was a flashing orange light that didn’t seem quite right. Neither of them were equipped to figure out what had just happened.

 

Luckily, Sora seemed to have the frame of mind to come up with an idea. “I’ll call Chip and Dale! They’ll know what to do.” He pulled his Gummi phone out of his pocket and dialled the number. After a few rings the screen lighted up with two cheerful chipmunks.

 

“Heya, Sora! What can we do for ya?”

 

“Hey Chip, hey Dale! Uhm… Riku and I are out flying the Gummi ship and it suddenly broke down. We opened that hatch on the side of the ship and smoke came out.” He turned the phone towards the hatch so the two Gummi ship experts could see.

 

Riku stood and went back to the front of the ship, to make sure they didn’t collide with anything. They weren’t making any speed, but slowly drifting in the lack of gravity between worlds. Some chatter went on behind him and he waited patiently until he heard Sora hang up the phone, thanking Chip and Dale.

 

“What now?” Riku asked, looking back at Sora, who was still kneeling on the floor. He seemed to be reaching inside.

 

“Engine’s overheated. It needs a little while to cool off. Once the light turns green again it should work. Ah!” Apparently his searching arm found what it was looking for and suddenly all the lights in the ship turned off, replaced by what seemed to be emergency lighting, low and orange. The buttons of the dashboard added muted colorful light, but suddenly the space they had been flying through seemed much darker and larger. “Chip and Dale said it would cool down quicker if we put it in Emergency Mode. Shouldn’t take more than a couple hours… hey, are you okay?”

 

Riku hadn’t even noticed, but his breathing had gotten shallow suddenly and there was sweat forming on his forehead beneath his bangs. Despite never having had a problem before, the enormity of space around them and how tiny their ship was made him feel claustrophobic, his throat tightening and his hands shaking.

 

Sora was up and in front of him within seconds. “Riku! Come on, it’s okay… we’ll be fine!” He gave the other a nudge so he’d sit down and crouched down in front of him. He took his hands in his own, smaller than his Riku noticed but warm and dry, soft and callused at the same time. “Hey, look at me… “ Riku looked at him. “It’s just you and me in here, nothing bad will happen.”

 

There was something soothing about Sora’s positivity, and the bright tone of his voice was comforting enough to make him close his eyes. His hands were still shaking a bit and every noise made him jump a little, but still it wasn’t as bad as a minute ago. Sora still didn’t seem to be satisfied and clambered up onto Riku’s lap.

 

“What’s gonna happen, when I’m right here?” Sora asked and Riku leaned back to accommodate him better, adjusting his position so nothing was digging into uncomfortable spots. Once they were as comfortable as the seat of the Gummi ship allowed them to be — Riku was tall and broad lately, and only getting taller and broader by the day — Riku opened his eyes.

 

Sora was smiling, like there was nothing in the world to worry about. He reached up with one hand and lay it on the side of Riku’s face. “Hey, handsome.”

 

Any other day and Riku would have teased him for being so sappy but the warmth from Sora’s hand and the smell of his skin felt like a lifeline for him. Usually he didn’t let Sora know he sometimes still had difficulty dealing with certain emotions well, fear and anxiety being two of those. He’d walk away from a situation to deal with it alone, but now he couldn’t go anywhere and Sora seemed determined to keep him where he was. He gave Sora a small smile. “Hi.”

 

“I wish you’d let me in.” Sora said, sounding uncharacteristically soft. No matter how sweet the other was, there as always an exuberance to everything he did. But now in the muted light of the Gummi ship, bobbing in the midst of nowhere he seemed different. “I wish you’d let me help you, guide you. I know I can. Even if… even if I lost my power, and I’m not a Master…”

 

Those words sent shock through Riku like a electricity. He sat up straight and jostled Sora a bit, raising a hand to grip the smaller one on his face gently but firm. “Sora, you don’t… don’t you know?” Sora looked puzzled at the open question and just a little insecure. “You’re _everything_. You’ve saved so many people, so many times. I could lose my faith in everything, but I’d still believe in you.” Riku reached up with his opposite hand and pressed it to the other side of Sora’s face, so that they were in a mirrored embrace. “You don’t know how much more than all of us you are.”

 

In the cup of Riku’s hand, Sora’s face flushed, his eyes suddenly bashful. Riku knew he had been feeling insecure lately, after the Mark. He’d even apologised for not getting through it in intact, for Riku having to save him. He’d spent nights sniffling into Riku’s shirt as the other tried to convince him that he hadn’t failed, hadn’t done anything wrong, couldn’t have done anything to stop it. And lately, the quiet murmuring in his sleep, the words that Riku had been writing down with the intent to discuss them with Master Yen Sid… when Xehanort had mocked Sora and asked why such a dull, ordinary boy could do what he did, it was becoming more clear to Riku there was more to his life long beloved friend than any of them understood yet.

 

Sora leaned his face into Riku’s palm, his eyes closing and his smile soft. “Mmm, I’m just me. And you’re you. Together we’re more. One day, I’m going to lead you and keep you safe.” He took Riku’s hand, the one that was gripping Sora’s and pressed it to his chest.

 

He knew that steady heartbeat better than anything, but something happened. White light, just a flash of it, tiny jolts of electricity ran through his fingers and down his arms and Sora’s skin, just for a fraction of a second looked almost luminescent.

 

Riku could do nothing but stare at him, his mouth parted slightly, his anxiety completely dissipated. “Sora…”

 

“Hmm?” The other replied, blue eyes opening. “What is it?”

 

“I…” Riku began, even though he wasn’t sure _where_. So far every out of the ordinary thing that had been happening to Sora lately seemed to be happening without his knowledge and bringing it up may just confuse him. “Kiss me?”

 

Sora laughed and leaned down. “Always, Riku…” The kiss was soft and light hearted, their lips slotting together like pieces of a puzzle that had been put together so many times. Sora giggled a little into it. “Feel better?”

 

“Yeah,” Riku said, brushing some chestnut hair away from the other’s face. “Much. Thank you. Let’s just sit here for a while, while the engine cools down.” As far as he was concerned it was still New Year’s day, and if they had been at home they’d probably still be in bed or sleeping on the beach. In an hour or two they’d get the ship back online and they’d make their way to the Tower and Riku would start asking questions he’d been needing to for a while.

 

Sora leaned down so he could lie in the circle of Riku’s arms, his face tucked into Riku’s neck, his breath soft and tickling his skin. Riku ran his fingers over the skin of Sora’s arm and stared out at the unending darkness stretching out in front of them and waited.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The Dance 
> 
> My Twitter TL is a literal parade of Soriku content, which makes me terribly happy. One thing I have seen in a helluva lot more Riku being completely mad for Sora, but much less of Sora being mad for Riku. So I put that in here, short man being head over heels for his tall boyfriend. One of my main issues with KH3, they started out strong with their bond but just let it slip halfway through, which was jarring and completely unsatisfactory. 
> 
> I realise the underlying plot doesn't make much sense, but I am sort of hinting towards the 'Sora is Kingdom Hearts/from Kingdom Hearts as in KH is an actual place' and Riku being tied into that. I've been doing some brainstorming and world building, so maybe I'll write what I've got in mind. Which would basically be a rewrite of KH3. 
> 
> As usual, hope you enjoyed! If you'd like to make a friend, I'm always up for making new friends, just like Sora! You can find me on Twitter at @laughertea.


	8. The Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before the final showdown, Riku and Sora go home. 
> 
>  
> 
> Beware the end notes and comments for spoilers for KH3.  
> This story is obviously non canon-compliant, but does take elements from the canon story.

 

Master Yen Sid’s orders had been clear. Tomorrow they were going to face Xehanort’s thirteen darknesses. Until then they were cleared to go wherever they wanted, and do whatever they wanted. Kairi was still in Radiant Garden with Lea, but she’d called them and told them she’d be thinking of them. There something secretive in her tone of voice, like she wasn’t telling them something. Before Sora could ask, Riku gave his sleeve a tug and a look, no further explanation needed. When they hung up, Riku asked Sora where he wanted to go.

 

“Home.” He said. Clearly and resolutely.

 

Riku took the lead, giving Aqua and Ventus a nod before boarding the Gummi ship. Sora was uncharacteristically quiet the ride to Destiny Islands, not even protesting once when Riku got behind the steering wheel. For a moment he was worried there was something wrong with his best friend, a rare awkward silence falling between them.

 

When they arrived, Sora got up and exited the ship right away, ignoring Riku’s _wait up!_ as he shut down the Gummi ship. He’d managed to land it on the play island and the sky was a dark blue, the kind it was before the sun started to set and turn the sky orange and purple. Once Riku exited the ship, now fully prepared to ask the other what was wrong he stopped.

 

Sora stood in the surf, his shoes and socks pulled off by the edge of the beach. The waves lapped rhythmically against his shins as he stared out at the horizon. Riku was in no mood to untie his boots so he shifted his way down the beach until he stood at the water. The waves were calm, a gentle rhythm that accounted for good weather. With just the two of them on the island, they could almost pretend nothing was going on.

 

“Why are we doing this?” Sora asked, not turning around to face Riku.

 

“What do you mean?” Riku replied with a question of his own, curious where this sudden mood had come from. What had happened in the Tower to make Sora suddenly so withdrawn and introspective?

 

“Isn’t this what he wants? He needs us to start his stupid war.” Sora still wouldn’t turn to look at him, so Riku stepped into the water until he stood directly behind his best friend. “We could stay here. Let him wait and wait…” From where he stood Riku could see Sora’s shoulders were as tense as his voice. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt because he wants to start some war he read about in some stupid book somewhere. Is that what all of this has been for?”

 

Riku put his hands on Sora’s shoulders. “Men like him… they find a way. He’ll find a way, with or without us. At least we know what we’re up against?”

 

“Do we?” Sora asked, turning suddenly. “Because I don’t! Something in my heart… it feels so wrong. I feel so drawn to that place but I’m so… he can’t win, Riku. We can’t let him.”

 

Of course, Riku wanted to tell him they’d be fine, of course they’d win. They’d won every time so far, why wouldn’t they now? “No matter what… we’ll face it together. I’ll stand by your side until the end. To whatever end.”

 

Sora turned to him, the setting sun framing his face and body like he was dipped in molten gold. Riku’s stomach felt like a storm, crashing waves and butterflies and singing voices, he was so full of love for him. “I love you.” He said, and they didn’t say it often. It was implied in everything they did together or for each other but the words weren’t often said aloud.

 

The smile Sora gave him was bright, despite the fear and doubt still evident in his eyes. “I love you too, Riku.” He reached down and delicately took Riku’s fingers in his hand and without looking at him, said, “You know what I wish?”

 

“Hm?” Riku replied, gripping back at Sora’s smaller hand, enveloping it in his own.

“That we could’ve gone back to that sleeping world, with the Symphony of Sorcery. I wish we would have seen it together. I bet your Symphony would have been so pretty.” He turned all the way around, so that they were standing face to face, the ocean water lapping at their calves. Riku’s boots were drenched by then but he didn’t care. What was a little water in his boots when Sora was looking at him the way he was?

 

“We will. I’ll show you my Symphony. It was really cold in one of them, with snow and ice… and I’ll get you a warm coat and some thick socks to cover up those skinny legs.” Riku stepped closer and put one hand on his waist and lifted the hand he was holding in the air. “We can learn how to dance together.”

 

Any fear or doubt still left in Sora’s eyes melted away and they lighted up just like his smile had. Sora put his hand on Riku’s shoulder and pressed himself up against his tall friend. He led them out of the water and onto the beach, so they could move properly.

 

Even though there was no music they twirled around on the sand in each other’s arms, occasionally letting the other turn around under their arms. At one point in their dance, Riku took a firm grasp on Sora’s waist and dipped him backwards, laughing loudly when Sora burst into hysterical laughter. It felt like hours they danced across the beach they had grown up on, both now on their bare feet, their toes sticky with ocean water and sand.

 

Riku twirled Sora away from him, their arms connect at the hand a long stretch. Before he could pull him back towards him, Riku held him in place, looking at him. Sora opened his eyes and stayed where he was. “What is it?”

 

A little shook from his introspection Riku shook his head. “Nothing.”

 

“That’s not true! You do that all the time you know, look at me like that. Why do you look at me like that?” Sora asked and made a loud noise when Riku suddenly pulled him back towards him, their bodies flush together and Riku’s hand back on Sora’s waist.

 

“You know why.” Riku said, brushing his nose over Sora’s, theirs lips not even an inch apart.

 

“That’s silly,” Sora laughed, looking flustered. “Nothing special here to see.”

 

It always struck Riku as odd, how Sora never seemed to care very much about the way he looked, until someone brought it up and he became bashful and modest about it. He was terribly outspoken with how attractive he found Riku, and told him all the time, much to Riku’s chagrin because it still made him blush. “I disagree.” He said to the other. “I love everything I see. I love this nose,” He kissed the bridge of Sora’s nose, straight and a little round at the end, giving him a boyish look no matter how much he grew. “I love these eyebrows, especially when they’re mad.” He kissed each brow, ignoring Sora’s pout and the way his brows actually did exactly what Riku loved so much about them. “I love these ears…” He tilted his head and kissed one ear before giving the lobe a tug with his teeth, making Sora splutter with laughter.

 

“Stop!” Sora laughed and laughed, wrapping the hand he had on Riku’s shoulder around his neck, which only pulled him closer. “You’re awful, Riku.”

 

“I can’t stop,” Riku said, lifting his head. “I’m not done yet.” He kissed one cheek and then the other. “I love this face, I love how soft your skin is and how it gets all freckly in the sunshine, even when you’re really tan.” Sora sighed and started to melt into Riku’s embrace, his eyes slipping shut. Riku pressed one kiss on one eyelid, then the other. “The bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. The best blue eyes I’ve ever seen.” A breathless giggle escaped Sora, like a remnant from the laughter from before, followed by sigh.

 

“But most of all, I love this most of all…” He leaned down and as if expecting it Sora tilted his head up, his lips already parting slightly in anticipation. He pressed his own mouth to Sora’s, familiar but still exciting. Their lips slotted together before Sora tilted his head to deepen it, the tip of tongue ran a gentle line of the inside of Riku’s mouth, his own reaching out to touch. They had kissed so many times before, in so many ways for so many reasons, but it felt new that time. It felt like a what-if. What if they faced tomorrow and Riku could never kiss Sora like that again? A surge of desperation and passion flared through all the veins in his body and he pulled himself out of the dancer’s pose they were in to wrap his around Sora, pulling him so tight against them he heard the other make a sound from being gripped so tight. The kiss deepened into something desperate as well, not like the kind of kisses they shared before sex or when either of them returned from somewhere else and they were excited and happy to see one another again.

 

This felt like a what-if goodbye kiss.

 

It took the need to breathe to break them apart, but they remained tight in each other’s embrace.

 

“You’ve never kissed me like that before.” Sora said in a dazed voice, his eyes dreamy.

 

Riku laughed, “Neither have you.”

 

“Felt like you were trying to swallow me whole.” Sora said with a shy smile. “It felt really nice, though… just, like you were afraid I was gonna fade away.”

 

Riku kissed him once more, a light peck that made Sora’s shy smile turned brighter. “You think I’d ever let that happen?”

 

Sora shook his head and tucked his head under Riku’s chin. “Can we just stay here for a while? I feel like I could face anything now that I’ve danced with you and after well, after you kissed me like that. Boy, my knees are kinda shaky from it.”

 

Without admitting that his own knees were a little jelly like, Riku laughed and lowered them to the sand so they could sit side by side. Sora sat a few inches from, and Riku leaned one arm back behind him. The sun was finally setting and his heart had started to settle. A clinking sound drew his attention away from the skyline and its pretty colors.

 

“Remember when you gave this to me?” Sora held up his crown necklace. Riku smiled and took the crown between two fingers.

 

“Yeah. It was the day of that meteor shower.” The metal was still smooth, not a blemish on it. It amazed him that Sora had managed to keep it in such good shape, especially with how their lives had been the past few years. “I don’t even know where I got it, to be honest. Just always had it, and then I thought… it should be yours.”

 

Sora looked down at the necklace and smiled fondly. “You said, I was a prince and you’d be my knight. You’d protect me from anything!” He said, holding his fist up in the air the way Riku remembered he had when he was boy. “I believed you then.”

 

“And now?” Riku asked.

 

“I believe you, now.” Sora said, a silly smile on his face. “Even if I’m not a prince!”

 

 _You’re mine,_ Riku thought, _I’d follow you anywhere if you asked me. Anywhere._

 

A comfortable silence fell over them as Sora shuffled closer so he could lean his head on Riku’s shoulder. “This is it, isn’t it.” He didn’t even say it like a question.

 

Riku nodded.

 

“I hope so.”

 

The sound of the waves and the color of the sky kept them company until they had to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The End
> 
>  
> 
> Don't really have a whole lot to say about this chapter, only that I'm nearly finished with only two chapters to go and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as Riku and Sora enjoyed acting silly on the beach. If I hadn't made it clear, I hope it's very clear now that they're over the moon for one another. 
> 
> Guess what, I'm on Twitter and I love making new Soriku loving friends. Or any kind of new friends! You can find me at @laughertea.


	9. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora and Riku are in a circle - one with an ending.
> 
>  
> 
> Mind the end notes for KH3 spoilers.

 

It had been dark before — it was light now.

 

_“He’s alive… where do you…”_

 

Time, all of it, felt like it’d been compressed into the blink of an eye. When he blinked his eyelids felt like an avalanche in slow motion.

 

_“Sora? Sora, can you hear me…”_

 

There were so many voices around him, he could recognise them and at the same time, he felt like a stranger in a strange place, as if every memory he’d ever had vanished into the air. Even the sand beneath his body seemed to whisper with motion every time he breathed.

 

_“… Try not to move, you’ll be alright…”_

 

Above the voices, and in between the dark and light he could hear his own heartbeat. Life. He had been dead and now he was alive. He was alive.

 

Sora moved his head until his eye was level with the red sand, golden particles sweeping up into the air. He could see feet moving, he could hear people shouting, he felt the sun disappear as a large shadow drifted over slowly.

 

There was blood in the sand, he could see that.

 

He felt familiar fingertips brush his own when he reached out towards it.

 

It wasn’t his blood.

 

—-

 

Unlike the last time he woke up, Sora felt comfortable. He felt like himself, chest rising and falling with its usual healthy rhythm. He was in a bed of some kind, and he could hear the sound of birds. Not the kind like back home, not the cry of gulls or the colorful, tropical birds that sat in the trees on the play island. Musical whistles that tickled his ears and made the corner of his mouth twitch up.

 

“I’m dreaming.” He said. The bed underneath him was soft and his feet were bare against the smooth fabric of the bed he lie on. He was outside, or by an open window, he could feel warmth and light dancing on his face.

 

“Must be a good dream.” The other corner of his mouth turned upwards and he smiled fully, his eyes opening slowly.

 

Riku sat on the other side of the bed, one leg folded underneath him. The clothes he wore were different, a sleeveless vest with a high collar, covered in gold embroidery, long black trousers a stark contrast to his bare feet, the color of seashells. He was smiling.

 

Sora smiled even wider. He knew that smile.

 

“Did we win?” Sora asked tentatively and sighed with relief when Riku nodded. He didn’t dare ask what they’d lost. “Kairi?” He inquired after his friend.

 

“She’s fine. Everyone’s fine.” Riku leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead. “You’re fine.”

 

Sora shut his eyes when he felt the pressure of Riku’s lips on his forehead and smiled shyly. Some day he was going to be able to do that as effortlessly as Riku could. “If everything’s fine… why am I dreaming?”

 

Riku tilted his head with momentary confusion until he seemed to understand and sat back in his original position. “Sora, you’re not dreaming.” He gestured around him and finally Sora began to take in his surroundings. They were in a garden, but not like anyone Sora had ever seen. And by now he had seen his fair share of worlds. The trees were tall and broad, the green of their leaves brilliant in the sunshine, in between them birds of all sizes flew, especially the little ones that seemed to be making. There were flowers and plants of so many different kinds he didn’t know where to look first.

 

In the distance, a dirt path leading to a white stone path was a city. It nearly took Sora’s breath away. He could feel Riku’s eyes on him, that amused look he always gave Sora whenever the other was in awe of something. The city was white, in its center towers that reached up so high they seemed to meld into the clouds against the stark blue sky. The sunlight cast an almost golden glow on the city.

 

“During the battle… you were dead.” Riku said, voice suddenly earnest.

 

“What?” Sora asked, his eyes wide when his head shot around to meet Riku’s gaze.

 

“At least, that’s the closest explanation they gave me. Whatever you did to win that battle… it took your life force and that keychain the Queen gave you and made it into a Keyblade. When you struck it down it was like time stopped. You were just hanging in the air, nobody could move… and then you just dropped down on the ground like a…” He stopped, seemingly unable to finish the sentence. Sora ran his hand over the surface of the couch they’d been sitting on the touch his fingertips to Riku’s.

 

“The Queen, she… sat down next to you in the dirt and held you. We all just stood there and watched…” The look of anguish on Riku’s face made Sora grab onto his hand, his fingers warm in Sora’s grip. “I didn’t hear everything she said but,” Riku turned Sora’s hand over his own and ran the tips of his fingers of his other hand over a starburst white scar on Sora’s palm. The scar looked like it’d been there for years, but as far as Sora knew he’d never had a scar there before. “I heard her say she was going to take you home.”

 

A little bird interrupted them suddenly, flitting out of the thicket and onto the intricate metal working of the bed they were sitting on. It looked at Sora like it was about to speak, but only a few curious sounding chirps left its little beak before it flew off like a spark into the sky. “But… Riku, this isn’t home. These aren’t the Islands.”

 

Riku shook his head, and looked like he was having a difficult time figuring out what to say. When Riku’s finger ran once more over the scar on his hand his chest suddenly felt like it was being squeezed together with iron.

 

He remembered the keychain in his hand, the Keyblade that came to him and sang like he was holding a thousand Keyblades at once, the power that had surged through him so huge and infinite. He hadn’t been Sora in that moment anymore, he had been something else entirely, something that transcended his comprehension, every heart in all the worlds facing the shadow before all had turned to darkness, the quiet everlasting kind.

 

And when he woke, his body in the sand with his eyes looking up at the sky he had known everything at once and forgotten it all again. She had given him that keychain, and handed him his death.

 

The blood in the sand, it hadn’t been his.

 

“The Queen?” Sora asked, deeply afraid suddenly. His heart felt so heavy.

 

Riku stood, his hand still holding Sora’s. “Whatever she did, it brought you back.” He gripped Sora’s hand tight and smiled at him. “It was touch and go for a while, but she should be alright. I think she’d like to see you, once you feel up to it.”

 

It was then, when Sora pulled himself up with the help of his grip on Riku’s hand that he saw his own clothes were different. The shirt he wore was made of a sturdy cotton, the collar low enough to show his collarbones, the sleeves stopped just above his elbows, the skin of his arms golden brown against the off white color. He wore a vest made out of what looked like dark grey leather but felt soft against his fingers when he touched it. Little crowns, just like his pendant, were embroidered in dark red and golden thread all over the vest. His trousers were black like Riku’s, his feet bare.

 

Between the two of them they were dressed finer than they had ever in their lives.

 

“This place.” Sora said, standing next to his best friend, their fingers intertwined like the roots of a tree. The white city that seemed to stretch on forever and the sunshine made his chest flutter, the same way he felt when he saw his friends, when he won a battle, when he had a good dream, how he’d felt the first time Riku had kissed him.

 

“It’s the place that wars have been waged over.” Riku explained, but in that way that he’d only just learned it all himself. “That place where hearts go when the vessels that carry them have died. This city is its capital… and she brought you here so you could see it for yourself.”

 

The musical birds kept singing, the breeze remained gentle, the flowers and plants held their brilliant colors and Sora and Riku stood side by side as they were meant to.

 

“ _Kingdom Hearts_.” Sora said and pressed his scarred hand to his heart. He didn’t need Riku to confirm it, he knew it in his heart. With a sigh he sat back down

 

“Whatever happens, Sora.” Riku said, and he knelt before Sora in a way that made him feel both shy and honored and right, all at the same time. He clutched his crown necklace in his fist and curled his hand so it was still in Riku’s grip but his knuckles faced upwards. If Riku wanted, he could lean down and press a kiss to them, like Sora was a prince, and he was a knight. “I’ll stand by you.”

 

“I’m really not dreaming, right?” His head still felt fuzzy and it was hard to believe he was the person he was in that moment.

 

Riku laughed and shook his head. “You’re not dreaming. I promise.” Sora reached out his free hand to touch the silver hair in front of him. “Do I break my promises to you?”

 

Sora inhaled and closed his eyes when Riku bowed his head to press his lips to Sora’s hand. A meteor shower of memories, hundreds of them at once some not even his own, crashed in seconds through Sora’s head.

 

He exhaled and cupped Riku’s face in his hands and his aquamarine eyes were the first thing Sora saw as his eyes opened, before he said,

 

“ _Never_.”

 

and closed the distance between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next (and final) chapter: The Future 
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter for its romantic quality, I realise plot wise it makes very little sense. I've been working on a rewrite of KH3. I loved certain elements of KH3 very much, but there are also some that just still have me baffled how the writing took that direction. I don't want to try and make sense of writing that I don't really like, so I decided I'd like to rewrite it with my own input. 
> 
> I will say, the Soriku fandom seems to have gotten even more enthusiastic and stronger, despite the bad card we were dealt and from what I've been reading online in theories and speculations, there may be some hope on the horizon. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading and I look forward to writing the last chapter. 
> 
> Obviously I love to talk about these guys or KH in any way, shape or form. Plus I love making new friends! I'm on Twitter at @laughertea, don't be shy!


End file.
